Course Syllabus

 

 

Course Description:

 

College level course in algebra for majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics: polynomial, rational, radical, exponential, absolute value, and logarithmic functions; systems of equations; theory of polynomial equations; analytic geometry.

 

Student Learning Outcomes:

 

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Analyze and investigate properties of functions;
  2. Synthesize results from the graphs and/or equations of functions;
  3. Apply transformations to the graphs of functions;
  4. Recognize the relationship between functions and their inverses graphically and algebraically;
  5. Solve and apply rational, linear, polynomial, radical, absolute value, exponential, and logarithmic equations and solve linear, nonlinear, and absolute value inequalities;
  6. Solve systems of equations and inequalities;
  7. Apply techniques for finding zeros of polynomials and roots of equations;
  8. Apply functions and other algebraic techniques to model real world STEM applications;
  9. Analyze conics algebraically and graphically; and
  10. Use formulas to find sums of finite and infinite series.

Course Content:

 

  1. Functions including linear, polynomial, rational, radical, exponential, absolute value, logarithmic: definitions, evaluation, domain and range;
  2. Inverses of functions;
  3. Algebra of functions;
  4. Graphs of functions including asymptotic behavior, intercepts, vertices;
  5. Transformations of quadratic, absolute value, radical, rational, logarithmic, exponential functions;
  6. Equations including rational, linear, polynomial, radical, exponential, absolute value, logarithmic;
  7. Linear, nonlinear, and absolute value inequalities;
  8. Systems of equations and inequalities;
  9. Characterization of the zeros of polynomials;
  10. Properties and applications of Complex numbers;
  11. Properties of conic sections; and
  12. Sequences and series.

Textbook:

Great news: your textbook for this class is available for free online!
College Algebra from OpenStax, ISBN 1-947172-12-3

You have several options to obtain this book:

  • View online (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
  • Download a PDF (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
  • Order a print copy (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.) 

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended -- the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.